What they do all day?
Geologists are like earth detectives. They collect soil to analyze its mineral makeup and find ground water. Lately, some geologists have raised red flags over soil pollution caused by hydraulic fracturing, a relatively new technology used to release natural gas and oil.
--J.A.

Quality of life ratings:

Personal satisfaction

Low stress

Benefit to society

Flexibility

B

C

B

C

Published: October 29, 2012

Notes: All pay data from PayScale.com. Median pay is for an experienced worker (at least five or seven years in the field). Top pay represents the 90th percentile. Job growth is estimated for 2010-20, and based on people working in broader 'job family' from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
*Total jobs is estimated number of people working in broader BLS 'job family.'

Sources:PayScale.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and CNNMoney research

It's still a tough job market out there, so when CNNMoney and PayScale.com set out to find America's Best Jobs this year, first and foremost we looked for professions that offer great growth opportunities.
More